First “store for hackers” incentivizes researchers and completes ecosystem with vulnerability remediation scripts, tools, and training to change the rules for what a security company can be

Vicarius, developers of vRx, the industry’s first fully autonomous end-to-end vulnerability remediation platform, today announced vstore, a “store for hackers” catered to contributors of vsociety, and vacademy, a cybersecurity training platform with courses in reverse engineering, PoC development, and CTF challenges. vstore provides an array of products designed to enhance the skills of security researchers, including specialized hardware and routers, along with branded merchandise and memorabilia.

Through submissions to vsociety, researchers accumulate vcoins, the currency of the Vicarius Ecosystem, based on the quality of their work, its subject matter, and depth. Additionally, with the upcoming release of vacademy, users will be able to earn vcoins by completing challenges or participating in CTFs. vsociety members who are experienced enough to teach will be able to construct their own courses and earn from them as well.

“White hats truly thrive in a community-driven environment,” said Michael Assraf, CEO, Vicarius. “With the right support and aligned goals, we can achieve remarkable things. We take pride in providing a strong foundation and nurturing our fellow researchers to reach their fullest potential.”

vsociety, a social research community for vulnerability researchers, was launched last year and has quickly gained traction, analyzing new vulnerabilities as they become known, developing PoCs, creating remediation scripts and earning multiple references published in the NVD (National Vulnerability Database). The platform has seen impressive growth with over 2,000 active members and a thriving Discord community.

“Embarking on the vsociety journey about a year ago, I found not just an educational platform but a community where each CVE analysis unfolds into a grand narrative of cybersecurity expertise,” said Akos Jakab, vulnerability researcher and ethical hacker. “Here, contributions aren’t just accepted; they’re embraced, provided they meet the high standards. This open yet rigorous approach ensures that every piece is a deep dive into the nuances of IT security, complete with detailed reproduction steps, insightful proof-of-concept, and thorough exploit analyses.”

Vicarius knows that momentum is key in the fast-moving and ever-evolving security field. Innovations have been made to vsociety, including a generative AI model called vuln_GPT that creates detection and remediation scripts for CVEs. After validation, these are available for vRx users, the company’s commercial product.

For budding security researchers eager to sharpen their skills and acquire top-tier technical knowledge, vsociety offers an excellent opportunity, especially for those who prefer non-traditional educational paths.

“The growth I’ve experienced since joining vsociety has been monumental—surpassing the professional development of my previous three years combined,” Jakab continued. “A truly open and independent platform for top-tier security insights is what I believe will continue to draw a growing audience and foster a community dedicated to advancing the field.”

With researchers eager to share their knowledge and learn from others, it was only natural that Vicarius introduced a more structured learning hub. With vacademy, participants can enroll in courses and participate in hands-on learning led by community instructors. As they progress, they will earn vcoins by completing assignments and challenges.

“It’s gamification. Not only that, but it rewards giving back to the community, which is how you hit the sweet spot of both a tangible and intangible goal. The aspiring researcher learns hard skills while also feeling like they are part of a broader movement,” continued Assraf. “There aren’t any security companies out there currently who are building this type of ecosystem to enrich both a commercial product and the broader infosec community, which consists of numerous parties from federal government agencies to private sector research groups. We know with the proper infrastructure, principles, and incentives in place, that we can reach the best the security world has to offer.”

Assraf further noted that the ecosystem will keep expanding as the company matures.

vstore will open its digital doors May 10, 2024 while vacademy will be launched in Q3 of this year. For more information, visit vsociety.io

About Vicarius

Vicarius helps security teams protect their most critical apps and assets against software exploitation through vRx (formerly TOPIA), the company’s autonomous end-to-end vulnerability remediation platform. Founded by three security experts and backed by tier-one cyber investors from Silicon Valley, Vicarius’ mission is to provide customers with problem-solving solutions that proactively reduce risk wherever computer software resides. Learn more at https://vicarius.io.

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